New Illustration: Landscape and History! The Storm on Lake Lucerne

 

As a Burgundian Wars-era (1474-1477) Swiss Foot Soldier crosses a windy pass, in the distance, over the picturesque and beautiful Lake Lucerne, a storm approaches. The wind blows, and two large golden eagles appear to be approaching the Soldier...

This illustration, I loved painting every detail of the wonderful landscape around the Lake, was made especially for "The Alpine Arcane Trophy", a "Sorcery:  Contested Realm" tournament taking place in Baden, Switzerland, in October. The illustration will be published as a special playmat for the winners and as a special card.

I thank the Organizers so much for giving me this wonderful artistic opportunity!

Here's all the information about The Alpine Arcane Trophy:

https://alpine-arcane.ch/

New illustration! For the cover of the Magazine "Sonah Magazin", summer 2025 issue

My first illustration on prehistory (and on the cover)!  A landscape from the prehistoric Carboniferous period (360-300 millions years ago), when the world was dominated by immense forests of giant ferns and horsetails. Oxygen levels were extremely high, and the swamps were traveled by enormous insects and amphibians.

Shown here are two giant Meganeura dragonflies (as large as modern hawks) and a huge two-meter long proterogyrinus like amphibian.

I am so grateful to Anika Meyer for allowing me to illustrate the cover of her beautiful magazine Sonah  https://sonah-verlag.de/

The original watercolor and gouache painting on the work table next to the Magazines

More illustrations for "Sorcery: Contested Realm"

Medieval longbowmen, crossbowmen and a falconer. As always my illustrations (and all those of other "Sorcery: Contested Realm" artists) are hand painted!

Swiss Standard-bearer, Battle of Dornach, 1499 (Swabian War - Schwabenkrieg)

 The Swabian War (Schwaben- oder Schweizerkrieg) broke out due to the ancient contrasts between the Habsburgs ant the Swiss Cantons, and in this case was the territorial controversy between the Grisons and the Habsburg Duke of Tyrol (the Emperor Maximilian) to turn on again the fuse.

The conflict expanded from the Rhine Valley to the Lake Constance; saw small-scale clashes but bloody looting. Imperial troops were finally defeated at Dornach on July 22, 1499.

The battle saw the complete triumph of the Swiss Cantons (Old Swiss Confederacy) on the imperial Swabian League and ended the Swabian War.

Among the Swiss fighters there were 5000 from Bern, 400 from Zurich, 600 from Lucerne, plus contingents from Uri, Zug and Unterwalden. The arrival of the Lucerne and Zug soldiers was decisive for the victory over Maximilan's army  (16,000 men).

The battle was a key step in the history of the Swiss Confederation.

In the figure is depicted a Standard-bearer from the mighty city of Bern, with the typical feather turban and the transition clothes between the fashion of the 15th century and the much more extravagant "slasing" fashion of the 16th century.

 

 

 

Viking houses

A small illustration with Viking houses (based mainly on the reconstructions of the Viking city of Hedeby, Haithabu in german). In the background, a large longhouse. 10th century AD.
This illustration was published in a Swiss school textbook published by Landverlag / Campus Natur

Roman Soldiers, Celts and Germans

Roman Legionary, 60 AD

Roman "Imagifer", Auxilia Palatina, 286-300 AD

Here the Magazine "Miroque" with the illustrations of Roman Soldiers:

http://www.amazon.de/Miroque-Nr-seine-Feinde-22Quo/dp/B007BQ8GSO/ref=pd_rhf_dp_s_cp_2?ie=UTF8&dpID=51mnSoZ%2BbPL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_SL500_SR98%2C135_&refRID=0BV9ENEV7NF6BGB9J5YF

Britannic Warrior, 1st century AD

Germanic Warrior, 2nd century AD